The maiden voyage of China’s first aircraft carrier, a vintage cold war aged throw-away, which was sold for scrap metal by the Ukraine. As you know generally the US sinks its old vintage aircraft carriers, donates them to a museum, or cuts them up for scrap. We’d never risk using them for such a modern Navy. Of course, sometimes they do make great fish and sea life habitats underwater when we sink them for target practice.

China on the other hand wants to build its Red Army’s Navy on the cheap and is okay with old cold-war hand-me-downs. And so, it has put a wonderful paint job on its latest bone-yard bound boat. There was an interesting piece in SpaceWar Online News recently titled; “China Says Aircraft Carrier Achieved Objectives on Its First Voyage,” by Staff Writers in Beijing, the article was published on August 31, 2011. Indeed, I agree, the Great China Treasure Fleet Aircraft Carrier did achieve its objectives in that; “It Didn’t Sink,” as was the big worry in the Chinese Red Army’s Navy during its sea trials.

Old Planes

Old Planes

Many Naval observers were fascinated by China’s attempt to sail this old boat, even more impressed when it went out for sea-trials and didn’t sink. Painting over old corrosion is risky, and challenging, but apparently a risk China is willing to take with their sailors’ lives. What brave sailors they are too, imagine sailing around on an old aircraft carrier, one built by a foreign nation which deemed it unsafe to use, so unseaworthy that it sold it for scrap metal. Thankfully, the big boat made it back to its base without any major incident and only took on water in a few places.

After the next set of repairs, China will attempt to have Chinese fighter planes land on the vessel without breaking apart. This will be difficult for China’s top fighter pilots, who have been known to have mid-air collisions with four-engine patrol planes off their coast line. Landing on an aircraft carrier is not easy, especially an old one with less-than-state-of-the-art guidance and approach control systems. If the Chinese can make this next step they will begin patrolling the South China Sea, while launching and attempting to recover aircraft.

Old Planes

Old Planes

Perhaps, by 2020 the Chinese will have everything under control and be able to do routine missions without loss of aircraft, pilots, ships, or sailors. We wish the Chinese well in their attempts to float this big boat in the unforgiving Pacific Ocean. Please consider all this.